Cooking Blogs: Definition, Types, Income & 25 Examples [2022]

Cooking blogs are a subsection of the larger section of the internet called food blogs.

If you are interested in how cooking blogs work, and how they make money, we have the scoop on all things cooking blogs for you here!

Keep reading to learn everything you should know about this deliciously fun corner of the internet, and learn how to start a blog!

Let’s examine cooking blogs more closely.

What Is a Cooking Blog?

So what is a cooking blog exactly?

Cooking blogs are a type of food blog where bloggers share recipes, cooking tips, product reviews, and brand reviews for their readers.

Usually, there are separate tabs for each of these types of content for easy reading.

Each cooking blog generally has a niche.

For instance, perhaps a blogger wants to focus on vegan meals, then their blog would be devoted to providing vegan recipes, tips for vegan cooking, vegan substitutions, and more.

What Does a Cooking Blogger Blog About?

Cooking bloggers must find a niche to be successful.

Many focus on a type of cuisine or dietary restriction.

Those topics are commonly searched on the internet that people do not know much about.

Other times, cooking bloggers might blog about new cooking tools or tips on substitutions.

What Is Included in a Cooking Blog?

Now that you know what makes a cooking blog, we will go into detail about what is included in a cooking blog.

1. Recipes

Recipes are the first thing you think of when thinking of a cooking blog.

How many times have you Googled instructions on how to make your favorite recipe, then clicked on a link to a food blog with the exact recipe you need?

More than likely, hundreds of times.

2. Cooking Tips

Cooking tips are useful if you want to follow a particular diet.

For example, if you are reading a vegetarian cooking blog, you might find a recipe for vegetarian lasagna.

That recipe will include an internal link to other blog posts about how to cook without meat while still making your dish appetizing.

3. Appliance Reviews

Like other types of blogs, appliance reviews are one of the main post-types you might find in a cooking blog.

You might be wondering how well the latest NutriBullet works.

Or you might have questions about which espresso maker you should buy.

Cooking blogs often include appliance reviews to help readers make informed decisions when purchasing kitchen products.

4. Brand Reviews

Brand reviews are great if you want to try a new brand or are looking into switching brands.

If you want to try the latest dairy-free cheese brand on the market, heading to your favorite dairy-free blog for information on ingredients or taste is the first step in making an educated purchasing decision.

5. Photos and Videos

Many recipe posts include photos and videos as instructional tools.

Other posts like appliance reviews or brand reviews attach photos to show what the product looks like or works.

Photos and videos are a crucial part of the blogging experience to help break up text and make it more interesting to the reader.

Other Things That You Can Find on a Cooking Blog

While the above are the most common types of cooking content, you can also find the following in a cooking blog.

Posts with How-Tos for Appliances

You might find a few informational blog posts with a how-to tutorial on the latest appliance.

Many people read the directions included in the box with their newest kitchen tool, but it is nice to see a video or a photo explaining how to use it in practice.

Comparison Posts

Comparison posts are also staples on cooking blogs.

For instance, you might find a blog comparing how a chocolate chip cookie bakes on parchment paper, a non-stick pan, a dark pan, and a silicone baking sheet.

These blog posts help the reader become more knowledgeable about baking to produce excellent bakes consistently.

Comments and Reviews from Readers

You might find comments and reviews from readers on all types of posts.

Readers can sound off in the comments about their experience using a specific tool or recipe that will better inform you on the practicality of the recipe or product.

Restaurant Reviews

Although restaurant reviews are not always found in a cooking blog, some chefs might have a cooking blog of their own.

They might include this type of content for their readers to enjoy.

Types of Cooking Blogs

Cooking blogs are similar, but they are not identical.

Here are a few types of cooking blogs you will find on the internet.

1. Cooking Blogs for Recipes

Some blogs are devoted to shelling out tons of recipes for their readers.

These blogs often include the recipe with a small blurb about the history and origin of the dish, tips on how to serve it best, and a few photos and videos for reference.

2. Cooking Blogs for Mixology

If you are looking for a blog devoted to making cocktails, a mixology-based blog might be your answer.

Mixology blogs focus on providing tools like recipes, tips, and brand recommendations to make the best cocktails ever!

They also include recipes for bar snacks.

3. Cooking Blogs for Cuisine-Specific Recipes and Tips

Learning to cook within a cuisine different from your native cuisine can be tough.

That is why it is important to learn all you can about that specific cuisine, in terms of the ingredients and flavors, before diving into making dishes adherent to that cuisine.

Cuisine-specific cooking blogs are the perfect place to learn!

4. Cooking Blogs for Dietary Restrictions or Needs

Cooking with dietary restrictions or cooking to avoid using certain common ingredients is a challenge.

Learning with a cooking blog that focuses on using different ingredients to stick to a dietary restriction, like gluten-free or dairy-free, is a great way to become a better cook!

5. Cooking Blogs for Sustainability

Sustainability in the kitchen is becoming more known to the general public.

Some cooking blogs create recipes where you eliminate much of your food waste by using every part of a specific ingredient or reusing it in another recipe.

These blogs generally give sustainable recipes and tips for being more sustainable in your kitchen.

Do Cooking Blogs Make Money?

Now that you understand the basics of what a cooking blog is and what types of cooking blogs there are, you might wonder how they make money.

Yes, cooking blogs can make money, and bloggers can make good money!

One important thing to remember is that you should create a following with your blog through the blog site and social media channels before trying to monetize your blog.

It takes time and careful content creation to be able to monetize it at a high level.

How Do Cooking Blogs Make Money?

The best way for cooking blogs to make money is to sell recipes, offer subscription services, use ads and join in affiliate marketing.

Selling recipes online or through an online e-book is the best and most cost-effective way for a blogger to make money from their recipes.

Subscription services like Patreon or Substack allow the creator to use a paid community to promote exclusive content like videos, recipes, or newsletters to make extra cash.

Displaying ads on your site is an excellent way to make money long-term.

Google AdSense is a popular way to monetize your content including websites and videos.

It shows relevant ads on your website, and you reap the financial benefits when someone clicks on the ad from your site.

Joining affiliate marketing programs is another way to make money.

Many bloggers use Amazon’s affiliate program, which is the perfect place to start.

You can then branch out to work as an affiliate with specific brands or products once you get the hang of how it works.

How Much Do Cooking Blogs Make?

Many blogs use the above methods to make money, but the amount you make depends on the effort and time you put into making your content watchable or readable.

The more captivating and engaging your content is, the more eyeballs and clicks you will have on your website, thus allowing you to make more money!

Though it varies from year to year and person to person, ZipRecruiter estimates that cooking bloggers make about $43,000 per year on average.

The lowest 7% of the market makes about $12,000 a year, and the highest 1% makes about $100,000 per year.

However, these ends of the spectrum are outliers, and it is more likely that the vast majority of cooking bloggers make between $25,000 and $50,000 a year.

Products To Promote and Sell on a Cooking Blog

Selling and promoting products is an excellent way to make money and improve the social standing of your brand among the public.

Here is a short list of the types of products you can promote and sell on your cooking blog.

The best thing about a cooking blog is that there are plenty of niche products to sell!

• Cooking and baking tools
• Your line of merch
• Cooking and baking accessories
• A cookbook or ebook of our most popular recipes
• Your Substack or Patreon subscriptions
• A particular brand’s products, including new launches
• Mixology ingredients and tools

Best Cooking Blogs: 25 Examples

You might be wondering what the best cooking blogs on the internet are.

Well, there are plenty available online!

We have narrowed it down to the top 25 blogs across the internet in five popular categories.

Continue reading below for examples of great food blogs!

How Many Cooking Blogs Are There?

There are over 220 million cooking blogs on the internet.

Though this number sounds impossible, there are so many blogs because they exist in many countries and have plenty of niche audiences who want to read their content!

The key to success in this industry is figuring out how to stand out among the millions.

You must learn to create a blog that your followers enjoy.

Check out our top 25 examples of great cooking blogs out there for inspiration!

Cooking Blogs for Healthy Eating

These are our top five examples of great cooking blogs about healthy eating.

Some are vegan-focused, but others are about eating healthy and in moderation.

1. The Minimalist Baker

The Minimalist Baker offers healthy recipes with minimal ingredients that anyone can make.

They have a cookbook for sale and a line of healthy ingredients available for purchase.

Their easy-to-follow, minimalist recipes make them a fan favorite!

2. Alexa Fueled Naturally

Alexa Fueled Naturally is a vegan Mexican food-focused blog.

However, there are plenty of other recipes available on the site that are not Mexican-inspired if you prefer other types of cuisine.

Vegan Mexican food is very niche, which makes this blog successful, and the site has a beautiful design!

3. Love and Lemons

Love and Lemons is not a vegan blog, but they are plant-forward and focus on fresh recipes.

Their recipes are easy to follow, and there is a cookbook you can purchase online.

This blog makes you feel welcome regardless of who you are or what kind of food you like.

Check it out!

4. Ambitious Kitchen

Ambitious Kitchen posts seasonal recipes and healthy eats that anyone will like.

Though their recipes are delicious, the Ambitious Skincare line makes them stand out among other cooking blogs.

Creating a niche within your niche is a clever way to stay at the top of the blogging game!

5. SkinnyTaste

As the name suggests, SkinnyTaste is about healthy eating, but many recipes focus on feeding families.

They offer cookbooks of their recipes for purchase and meal plans to help you eat healthy for an extended time using their recipes.

Cooking Blogs for Paleo Diets

The Paleo diet is a popular diet where people only use ingredients that would have been available when our human ancestors were hunter-gatherers.

1. Nom Nom Paleo

Nom Nom Paleo is one of the most iconic Paleo blogs out there.

It is run by Michelle Tam, who is often spoken of as the Paleo Queen, especially when it comes to Asian-inspired Paleo meals.

You can find Paleo cookbooks, meal plans, recipes, and information on events on the blog!

2. PaleOMG

PaleOMG is a cheeky name for a very informative blog.

This blog focuses on creating Paleo meals for any occasion, but you can also find a workout program meant to go with a Paleo meal plan to help you feel your best.

You can also find more personal blog entries from Juli, the site owner.

These include topics like travel, pregnancy, and more.

3. The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet is an informative blog where you can learn Paleo 101 and find many recipes to adhere to the diet.

You can also find links to scientific studies and writings on the Paleo diet on the blog.

If you are just starting a journey into eating Paleo, this is a perfect resource to use!

4. The Paleo Running Momma

The Paleo Running Momma is a blog run by a mother of three who loves running and eating Paleo.

Though she admittedly does not eat Paleo all the time, the blog provides plenty of resources, including recipes and cookbooks for those who want to lead a Paleo lifestyle.

5. Cavegirl Cuisine

Cavegirl Cuisine is one of the top Paleo blogs out there.

It is well-liked because it offers plenty of information about the Paleo diet including its beginnings and what it is about, in addition to a community of Paleo eaters and recipes.

You can also find cookbooks for purchase on the site!

Cooking Blogs for Keto Diets

The Keto diet is making waves because of its ability to help people lose weight.

There are a few blogs out there that help people adhere to this diet and reach their full fitness potential.

We have included the top five here.

1. Keto in Pearls

One of the most niche Keto diet blogs out there, Keto in Pearls, focuses on making recipes that are kid-tested and approved!

You can cook these meals for your whole family!

There are plenty of recipes for almost any meal and preparation method on this blog, including Instant Pot meals.

2. No Bun Please

No Bun Please is more than a blog offering recipes for high-fat, low-carb diets.

They also have resources for readers to check if something is Keto-friendly, provide e-cookbooks, and have Keto restaurant guides available for readers.

3. Keto Karma

Keto Karma is a great resource for those looking to lose weight with Keto.

The site offers a Keto calculator where you can measure your macros for strict adherence to the diet.

There are also recipes and printable meal plans.

You can also find a tab with Keto Essentials for Keto substitutes for many common kitchen ingredients.

4. Ketogasm

Ketogasm is focused on making Keto recipes taste and look delicious.

It is designed for people who want to eat Keto but do not want to sacrifice taste to achieve it.

You can also find meal plans and healthy eating courses on this blog and a link to the blog’s accompanying Podcast.

5. Little Pine Kitchen

Little Pine Kitchen posts low-carb recipes and is Keto friendly without sacrificing flavor.

They also offer free resources like a printable Keto food list, a free ebook, and free membership for anyone who signs up.

The charts are one of the key features of this site that sets it apart!

Cooking Blogs for Desserts

Who doesn’t love desserts?

Check out these five dessert blogs out there.

1. Addicted to Dates

Addicted to Dates is a dessert blog dedicated to providing delicious vegan dessert ideas that do not compromise on taste!

The site covers cookies, cheesecakes, cakes, pies, brownies, and more.

You can also find a link to the YouTube channel online.

2. Dessert With Benefits

Dessert With Benefits posts recipes for desserts made with whole foods and real ingredients.

Along with the recipes, there is a list of pantry staples you can print and have at home and cookbooks with the recipes you can buy.

3. Sugared & Stirred

Sugared & Stirred is a dairy-free dessert blog that allows readers to find dairy-free alternatives for their favorite recipes!

You will find plenty of cookie, brownie, and cake recipes on the blog that are delicious and decadent despite their dairy-free nature.

4. Hummingbird High

Hummingbird High has tons of recipes for your favorite desserts and some you have probably not tried before!

It also includes informational comparison posts on certain ingredients for your educational viewing.

There is also a cookbook you can buy and a link to their Patreon account if you want to get more content from the blog!

5. Dada Eats

Dada Eats is the perfect blog if you are looking for easy, low-maintenance recipes.

Many recipes require few ingredients, or they are no-bake recipes, so you can make them and eat them right away!

You can also find a link to purchase their cookbook or work with Samah, the blog owner.

Cooking Blogs for Simple Recipes

Simple recipes are the bread and butter of weeknights.

Check out these simple recipe blogs!

1. Pinch of Yum

Pinch of Yum is an excellent blog for simple recipes that are nutritious and delicious!

They are known for giving recipes for easy recipes you can make any night of the week.

They even have freezer recipes for pre-made meals to heat up later on.

2. Cookie and Katie

Cookie and Katie is a blog that writes plenty of posts for recipes but also has a cookbook available for purchase.

Each recipe uses whole foods, which is a core tenant of the blog’s philosophy.

3. Sprouted Kitchen

Sprouted Kitchen is a great resource for those who want to make simple meals in most categories, including appetizers, desserts, entrees, sides, and more.

4. Oh She Glows

Oh She Glows is devoted to sharing easy vegan recipes to help you glow on the inside and out.

This blog stands out due to its skincare posts, and other lifestyle posts mixed among the recipes.

5. Keeping it Simple

Keeping it Simple focuses on easy and simple food recipes that anyone can do.

It is a great blog for beginning cooks, and its resources are plentiful, including recipes and tips on entertaining.

How To Become a Cooking Blogger

Let’s go over the necessary steps you should take to become a cooking blogger.

The first step is to determine your motivations for starting a blog.

Then, you can take the next steps to create your blog and move forward with creating content!

Below we have outlined the steps needed to become a food blogger.

Not all steps are necessary, and not all steps will work for everyone, but these are the most common steps that lead people to success.

Determine the Direction of the Blog

After determining your motivations, determine the direction of your blog.

Do you want to be more recipe-focused?

Would you prefer to focus on product reviews?

If you are unsure of the direction you want to take, do keyword research to uncover opportunities!

Find the hole in the industry and fill it!

Select a Niche

Selecting a blogging niche is one of the most crucial steps in becoming a cooking blogger.

You might be wondering how to choose the right niche.

Well, consider what you are knowledgeable about and passionate about, and why you want to start the blog to find your niche!

Once you find it, hone in on it!

Select a Name

The next step is selecting a name. Coming up with a blog name can be tough, but one crucial thing to remember is that it should be unique enough to set you apart but easy enough for followers to remember.

It is the first thing people associate with your blog.

It is a part of your brand, so choose wisely!

Select a Blogging Platform

The next step is to choose a blogging platform.

There are many different blogging platforms available, but you should choose the one that you can easily understand and use.

You have probably heard of WordPress, a blogging platform because it is widely used and easy to understand.

Do the research and choose the best platform for your needs!

Register a Domain Name

Next, register your domain name.

The domain name is unique to you and can only be registered by a registrar.

Registering a domain is challenging, but if you go with a trusted company, you will be pleased with the outcome.

Bluehost is the best domain registrar out there, so check it out and see what you think!

Get Web Hosting

Web hosting is a helpful tool when creating your website.

It increases security, makes it easy to monitor the site, and increases speed and performance.

We suggest managed WordPress hosting, but you should inspect your options before settling on one.

Build the Blog

Next, you should build the blog.

WordPress is an excellent tool to use for creating your blog!

Themes

First, choose a theme.

Common themes include minimalistic design themes, colorful themes, and luxury themes.

Themes allow you to customize your website style to fit your brand, from colors to fonts!

You can always use a tutorial to learn how to install a WordPress theme!

Plugins

Plugins are software components that allow you to improve your website performance and customize the site.

They are often easy to install, and if you use a program like WordPress to build your blog, you can use WordPress plugins.

Essential Pages

Choose a few essential pages for your blog.

Creating tabs and pages to categorize and organize your site is important, but you do not want to make so many of your viewers get lost while navigating the website.

Produce Content for the Blog

After you build your blog, you will need to produce content. Creating content for your blog is the fun part!

You can write articles or reviews or post photos and videos to your blog.

The type of content you create is up to you!

Launch the Blog Publicly

Once you have completed the setup of your site and the content creation portion, you are ready to launch the blog to the world!

Launching a new blog can be scary, but as long as you have put effort into it, you have nothing to worry about!

Promote the Blog

There are many ways to promote a blog.

However, promoting the blog on your social media channels is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to promote a blog.

You can also buy advertising or have your friends and family promote it on their channels.

Similar Blogging Types To Check Out

There are plenty of different types of blogs that make money out there.

Here, we will show you three more types of cooking blogs that might make you a little extra cash!

• Recipe Blogs: Recipe blogs are similar to cooking blogs. The difference is that are devoted to sharing recipes. They do not often share reviews of products or stories about the recipe. Instead, they exist mainly for informative purposes.
• Baking Blogs: Baking blogs differ from cooking blogs because baking is a different type of culinary talent. However, they have a lot of similarities, so if you like cooking blogs, you might enjoy baking blogs!
• Vegan Blogs: Vegan blogs are not always cooking blogs because vegan blogs also contain information on how to dress in vegan clothing or clean with vegan cleaning products. These blogs generally cover much more than just vegan cooking tips and recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s address a couple of frequently asked questions you might have about cooking blogs, like free food and timelines!

Wrapping Up

Cooking blogs are a great way to express yourself creatively, share your passions, and perhaps make a little extra money while you do it.

Remember, it is never a bad idea to start a food blog if you’re excited about food and cooking.